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Precinct results show 52 percent in East County say ‘no’ to hospital district

Steven Friederich | The Vidette Grays Harbor Community Hospital spokesman David Quigg, left, shares a happy look with CEO Tom Jensen after seeing the hospitssl district had been approved on Election night.

By Steven Friederich

The Vidette

MONTESANO — Voters in Grays Harbor County overwhelmingly turned out in support of a proposed hospital district to benefit Grays Harbor Community Hospital, but a drill down of precinct results show that those in East County actually rejected the measure on Election Day.

Combined, the eight precincts stretching from Montesano in the west to Melbourne in the north and Brady in the east, rejected the measure with 52 percent of those voting against the proposal. This is the same area that had been up for consideration of being annexed into the growth area of nearby Summit Pacific Medical Center.

However, because an overwhelming number of voters from the Aberdeen and Hoquiam area turned out in support of the measure, the East County area will still be part of the new hospital district. The measure received a 61.4 percent approval from the entire proposed hospital district boundaries, which stretched from the Satsop River out to Westport and Taholah.

Updated election results are expected on Friday, but not much is expected to change.

In Aberdeen, 1,577 voters showed support for the measure compared to just 609 who voted against it. That’s a 72 percent turnout in support. In Hoquiam, 896 voters voted for the measure and 379 voted it down. That’s 70 percent in favor.

It was even a tight race in Central Park, which wasn’t part of Summit Pacific’s annexation area, where 188 voted for it and 182 voted against it.

Out in East County, the results weren’t as favorable with 720 residents in the combined area voting for it and 769 residents voting it down.

The Brady area, in particular, voted it down with 63 percent. That area is closest to Summit Pacific Medical Center.

The city of Montesano was split with the precinct representing west and north Montesano voting for the measure with 247 residents in favor and 193 against; while those living in East Montesano voted against it with 166 in favor and 203 against.